EPISODE-11- (BALI & A MAN)

Bali was a great warrior and King of Kishkindha. He had gifted power from some deity that, he would get half strength of his fighting opponent, thus remained undefeated. Once He caught hold of Ravana in his arm side for six months and kept him locked in his capital and released on request of Pulast rishi.

His younger brother Sugreev was loyal and respected His elder brother Bali. Once a demon named Mayavi came to Bali and challenged for fight. Bali followed Mayavi in the jungle and entered in a cave. Sugreev also followed his brother. Bali asked his brother Sugreev to wait at the entrance of the cave for 15 days. One month passed by and blood flowed from the cave. Sugreev thought that his brother Bali has been killed by the demon and afraid of being killed by demon, he put a heavy stone at the entrance of the cave, he came back. He declared himself King of Kishkindha.

After few days Bali returned after killing demon. Seeing stone at the entrance he misunderstood Sugreev and got angry. More so when he found that Sugreev has crowned himself in his place; he became furious and with intention to kill, challenged Sugreev. Sugreev fearing his death in hands of Bali fled on Rishyamuk Hill where Bali was afraid of going for being cursed by a rishi that if Bali came to that hill, he will meet his death. Bali took over kingship of Kishkindha again and also kept Sugreev’s wife as illegal wife immorally which was inexcusable.

Sugreev met Lord Rama and Sugreev offered Rama to help search of Sita. Lord Ram also assured Sugreev to rescue his wife and restore kingship. Lord Rama asked Sugreev to fight with Bali to kill him from the back. Sugreev challenged and had fight with Bali but Lord Rama could not differentiate between Bali and Sugreev having identical bodies. Sugreev could not stand in the fight so fled back to Rishyamuk Hill. Second time Lord Rama gave his necklace and asked Sugreev to wear during fight. Sugreev again challenged Bali and had a fight. This time, Lord Rama killed Bali by striking arrow hiding behind without knowledge of Bali.

At the time of dying, Bali questioned Lord Rama as why He killed him behind the scene of fight. Lord Rama explained Bali that your act toward brother’s wife is inexcusable. You did not listen the advice of your wife. There is no bad in killing a man like you who had illicit relationship with anyone other than his wife. Bali accepted his grave fault, and apologized. Bali requested Lord Rama to bless him with devotion for Him in next birth and accept Angad, his son as disciple. Later, Angad was sent by Lord Rama to Ravana to carry message of getting back Sita without battle. To prove his strength he thumped his one leg on the ground and challenged to move it but no one in Lanka could move it including Meghanad, son of Ravana. (Gist is derived from ‘Kalyan’ Gita Press Gorakhpur)

Following episodes may find some semblance with mythological event narrated above.

A man of bad character

A candid story told by Jim Mistry, who was present when the incident occurred back in 1963, concerns sex. One day at Guruprasad while only men were present, Baba causally began asking each of the men present if they had ever experienced fornication. Those such as Eruch, Pendu, Padri, Aloba, Nana Kher, and others answered, "No. Never." Close mandali such as Adi Sr. and brother Jal also never touched a woman. This was by Baba's direct order to them. There were, of course, several of the women mandali who never "touched a man."

Most of the married men answered, "Yes, of course, with my wife." Baba further asked the married men whether they ever had sex outside of marriage, and a few of them admitted they had before they were married.

Baba continued probing each man around the room with same question and finally came to one man and asked him, "How about you? Did you ever have sex outside of marriage?" The man laughed nervously at Baba's query.

Then apparently changing the subject, Baba continued asking the same man about his life and business. "How is your business doing? You have a farm, don't you? You earn a lot of money, don't you? How many men do you employ? Have you ever hired any women to do the farm labor?" Hearing that last question, the man suddenly broke down and wept, knowing that Baba knew about his affair with an illiterate village woman. As the man wept and repented, he explained that no one was there except he and this woman, and no one could have seen them.

Baba assured the man with this reply, "When I am consciously within everyone and everything, how can there be any question of my not being able to see everyone and everything? But you are very fortunate to have admitted to this before Me today. Now forget it, but never do it again." (Lord Meher-new volume-p-6345)

Interpretation- Sex outside marriage is most disastrous and inexcusable. By killing Bali, Lord Rama justified its gravity with no excuse. But Baba did excuse the man advising him not to repeat it in future. In Mythological era of Satyug, Dwapar and Treta the standard of spirituality was very high. People were more spiritual and God loving. Even a bad thought resulted in deep sanskaras but these standards are relaxed in present times. Bali was not excused by Lord Rama but Meher Baba did excuse the man for his worst act of sex outside marriage.

According to Meher Baba, God is not to be feared but loved. Meher Baba’s guideline goes as if a bad thought comes do not act upon it and if a good thought comes do act upon it. This is real solution to avoid bad sanskaras consciously.

Baba discoursed, “There are seven colours of sanskaras. Red is the worst and the deepest. It is the most lasting impression, and takes the longest to be wiped out. These red sanskaras are caused by the lustful thoughts and actions; hence they are a great check on the progress and advancement.

Thoughts of sexual desire may come, and even a rush of impulses, but one should not commit any action with another person. Even masturbation is better, though it is harmful to the physique. Sexual intercourse has the worst consequences. It attracts to oneself the worst sanskaras of ages past of one’s partner; hence it is most difficult to wipe out. It incurs immense ineradicable damage to one’s spiritual progress. (Lord Meher-page 1208)

It is therefore, band of red colour is placed at the bottom of Baba’s flag. Other six types of sanskaras (anger, greed, attachment, ego, jealousy and hated) are represented by other colours.

Baba said, “For the aspirant a life of strict celibacy is preferable to married life, if restraint comes to him easily without undue sense of self-repression. Celibacy is good for progress in spiritual path who can control their sex emotion. Contact with Perfect Master helps one to gain that control, but as very few have strong power to control themselves, marriage for most men and women is advisable. Indeed it is much better to marry and devote your attention to one person than to remain bachelor and like a bee pass from flower to flower in search of new experiences”.

“Celibacy is unimportant. Some men marry, others remain single; but a man is not more backward spiritually because he has married. A woman can inspire him by her love to know the Truth. But she must develop love and not lust. This is the key to happiness. For the celibate as well as for the married person the path of inner life is the same” (Lord Meher-page 2249)